media cynicism in a sell-out world

November 24, 2008

Child porn charges for 15-year-old who snapped self

A 15-year-old American girl has been hauled before federal authorities on child pornography charges after taking and distributing nude pictures of herself, The Newark Advocate reports.

The minor faces the prospect of having to register on the sex offender's list for the next 20 years, in addition to a lengthy jail sentence, after admitting her responsibility for the incident.

She reportedly made illegal use of her mobile phone camera despite receiving a stern warning from state prosecutors, who had been touring local schools to advise against the practice.

The matter first came to light in early October, when authorities confirmed that they had filed felony charges against a teenage girl accused of distributing nudity-oriented material.

After her case received widespread national attention, the Licking Valley High School student started expressing remorse at the Juvenile Division of Licking County Common Pleas Court.

"I took pictures of myself and sent them to guys ... They sent me pictures back," she told Judge Robert Hoover last week. "I wasn't really thinking when I did it. I did not think they would get around to other people."

The student has since been told there is a chance that the charges against her will be dismissed, but only if she adheres to a set of conditions governing mobile phone and internet usage.

Ohio prosecutor Ken Oswalt had previously given a speech at her school warning against such behaviour. He said he filed the charges because he wanted to establish a "guidepost to see what the court finds appropriate"._

3 Comments

Thank god for digital cameras or I'd doing 20 years for taking pictures of my three year old daughter's pre-bath ritual she calls the "naked dance." She won't get in the tub without doing it, and it's hilarious. So I took pictures her wiggling her bare butt (which is pretty much all the dance consists of, that and some wild arm gesticulations). What a sad, pathetic, dangerously repressed, society we find ourselves in. Bare in mind, I'll kick any dimwitted fascist cop in the throat before I let him interrupt my daughter's dance.

I can't believe the federal authorities have been brought in. This is an incident that should have been stopped long before it got to this stage. This young girl, who is obviously not behaving and thinking like an adult, should have been disciplined at home and at school, if appropriate. The incident should not have escalated to one that needs adult punishment. If she has to register as a sex offender for something stupid and idiotic she did when she was just a child, essentially, her life is over. I hope the Judge and jury in question realize that this girl made a mistake and needs guidance, not jail time.

'a father', your daughter's "naked dance" would not be considered child pornography because (and I'm not a lawyer, but I have recently researched this in order to right my congressman opposing H.R. 1076 the Internet "SAFETY" Act of 2009) according to Section 2256 of title 18, United States Code, "sexually explicit conduct" (while not requiring actual sex) must be "lascivious" in nature, which the 15 year-old's pictures were, and yours would not be.

Besides which, any judge could tell that a "naked dance", where nakidity is a by-product of the dance, and not its primary focus, would in no way be pornographic. I do hope there is some common sense left in the justice system.